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The 2010 VMA Countdown: Howard Stern Becomes Fartman

Posted 8/20/10 12:00 pm EST by in VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are only a few weeks away. The biggest party of the year features nominated clips by Lady Gaga, Eminem, Jay-Z, Ke$ha and Katy Perry and will feature performances by Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, B.o.B and Florence and the Machine (with many more to be announced). In order to properly prepare yourself for what's to come, every day the MTV Newsroom Blog will deliver a classic moment in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards. Today's installment: Howard Stern's alter-ego crashes the party.

Remember the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, which saw Sacha Baron Cohen descend from the ceiling and land with his butt right in Eminem's face? The roots of that stunt date back to the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, which saw radio shock jock Howard Stern (who at the time was building himself into the self-proclaimed "King of All Media") flew in from the rafters as Fartman, a longtime character from his show. Using the power of his exposed buttocks, Stern unleashed such an intense batch of flatulence that it blew up a piece of the podium where the members of Metallica were accepting an award for Best Metal/Hard Rock Video (for the classic clip "Enter Sandman").

Stern's appearance brought a lot of laughs from the crowd, though Metallica seemed a little miffed (Stern formally apologized to James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich a few years later). It was a remarkable clip that was shocking, surprising, funny and unpredictable — all the things that make the VMAs (and Stern himself) great.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

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The 2010 VMA Countdown: Eminem Declares Himself The Real Slim Shady

Posted 8/19/10 2:30 pm EST by in VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are only a few weeks away. The biggest party of the year features nominated clips by Lady Gaga, Eminem, Jay-Z, Ke$ha and Katy Perry and will feature performances by Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, B.o.B and Florence and the Machine (with many more to be announced). In order to properly prepare yourself for what's to come, every day the MTV Newsroom Blog will deliver a classic moment in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards. Today's installment: Who is the real Slim Shady?

In today's chapter of "30 Days of VMA," we take a look at one of the greatest single performances in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards. Plenty of VMA performances are top-shelf, but there are only a select few that could only be considered iconic. Madonna's writhing around on the stage at the first VMAs in 1984 certainly ranks up there, along with the incredible three-way dance between Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Madonna (again) at the 2003 show. One greatest-of-all-time performance that doesn't involve Madonna is the one that Eminem delivered 10 years ago.

The 2000 MTV Video Music Awards saw the show beam live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City and was full of killer moments, including a blistering performance by Rage Against the Machine, Britney Spears' flesh-colored bodysuit, Macy Gray's pink afro and the tag-team between Christina Aguilera and Fred Durst. But by far the biggest moment was when Eminem hit the stage to perform "The Real Slim Shady" (which later won Video of the Year). Shady began his performance in the street outside Radio City Music Hall surrounded by "clones" — dozens of other guys dressed exactly like him. The army stormed the theater while Em made his way to the stage to finish "The Real Slim Shady" and bust into a savage "The Way I Am." In the performance's best moment, he hit the lyric about sitting next to Carson Daly and Fred Durst just as he was walking past their seats in the aisle. It was, as Mick Foley would say, great TV.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

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Lady Gaga, 30 Seconds To Mars And Others Go To Bat For Their Directors: Better Know A VMA Category

Posted 8/19/10 1:30 pm EST by in VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are fast approaching, which means that in only a few weeks you'll be treated to an excellent night of performances and appearances by the likes of Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence and the Machine, B.o.B and Deadmau5 (who will serve as the house DJ at the show). While people tend to remember the classic performances and the unhinged moments, the coveted Moonman is the reason why people show up and tune in. This year, there are 16 categories wherein some of the biggest music stars in the universe will compete for the coolest trophy in awards shows. Today, we take a look at the nominees in the Best Direction category.

Music videos have often been a proving ground for film directors, who then go on to direct features and win awards hand over fist. Though the artists in the clips are at the forefront of the category, the Moonman has provided a boost for a handful of accomplished directors. Past winners of the prize for Best Direction at the MTV Video Music Awards include David Fincher (who won two years in a row for Madonna's "Express Yourself" in 1989 and "Vogue" in 1990; he later made modern classics like "Se7en," "Fight Club" and "The Curious Case for Benjamin Button"), Tarsem Singh (scored a Moonman for R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" in 1991 and later directed "The Cell" and "The Fall"), Spike Jonze (scored for Weezer's "Buddy Holly" in 1994 and later created "Being John Malkovich" and "Where the Wild Things Are"), Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (won two Moonmen for direction for Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight Tonight" in 1996 and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Californication" in 2000) and "Nightmare on Elm Street" director Samuel Bayer (who won for Green Day's "Boulevard of Broken Dream" in 2005 and Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around ... Comes Around" in 2007).

This year's crop of nominated directors is an excellent mix of newcomers and veterans. In the latter category, you've got Hype Williams (nominated for Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind"), Francis Lawrence (Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance") and Dave Meyers (Pink's "Funhouse"). The (relative) newcomers include Bartholomew Cubbins (the pseudonym used by Jared Leto, who directed his band 30 Seconds to Mars' "Kings and Queens") and Rich Lee (who directed Eminem's "Not Afraid" and who has less than 10 years in the game.

The criteria for great direction is sort of vague, but for sheer accomplishments, the MTV Newsroom Blog thinks Leto might have the upper hand. "Kings and Queens" is gorgeous and epic, and was clearly logistically complicated. But all of the videos nominated are deserving.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

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Chelsea Handler: The Latest Best-Selling Author To Host The VMAs

Posted 8/19/10 11:30 am EST by in VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards had a city (Los Angeles), a date (Sunday, September 12), a time (live at 9 p.m. Eastern), nominees (lead by Lady Gaga) and a handful of performers and presenters (including Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake and B.o.B). But up until late last night, the show didn't have one of its most important elements: A host. But that all changed when "Chelsea Lately" host Chelsea Handler announced that she would be hosting this year's version of the show. Handler is only the second woman in history to host the VMAs by herself (Roseanne Barr took the reins in 1994; Bette Midler shared hosting duties with Dan Aykroyd at the very first VMAs) and is — amazingly — the latest best-selling author to helm the show.

Handler's three comedic memoirs — 2005's My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands, 2008's Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea and this year's Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang — have all made their way onto the New York Times Best Seller List, with two of them hitting the top spot. The run of Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea has been particularly impressive, with a print run of 350,000 and counting.

The late night host doesn't share a whole lot in common with actor and comedian Russell Brand (who hosted the VMAs in 2008 and 2009), but Brand also has a New York Times best-seller to his name. His 2008 memoir My Booky Wook also found its way onto the list. That makes three consecutive years that have seen a best-selling author host the Video Music Awards.

For more authorship, you have to go back to 2003 with Chris Rock (who also hosted in 1997 and 1999 and had a successful book with 2000's Rock This!). There was also Ben Stiller (hosted in 1998; co-wrote Feel This Book: An Essential Guide to Self-Empowerment, Spiritual Supremacy, and Sexual Satisfaction) and Dennis Miller (hosted in 1995 and 1996; wrote several books with the word "rant" in the title).

So who will be the next author to host the MTV Video Music Awards? Perhaps Dan Brown — he can talk Masonic practices with members of the Wu-Tang Clan.

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Justin Bieber Performing At The 2010 VMAs, Bound To Cause Hysteria

Posted 8/18/10 5:30 pm EST by in VMAs

When the question of who would perform at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards came up, there were a handful of names that seemed pretty obvious. With a new album and a comeback underway, Kanye West was a clear choice. Considering his meteoric rise in the past year, Drake was another no-brainer. And when you think about how he got his national start at the 2009 version of the VMAs, Justin Bieber was a clear choice.

Earlier today, it was officially announced that Bieber would be gracing the stage at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, which will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, September 12 at 9 p.m. Eastern. Bieber joins an impressive (and still-growing) list of performers that includes West, Drake, Florence and the Machine, B.o.B and Deadmau5 (who will serve as the house DJ). He'll also get to hang backstage with presenters like Ke$ha, Nicki Minaj, Ne-Yo, Ashley Greene and Selena Gomez. What song will Bieber perform? What surprises are in store? Who will win? You can only find out if you tune in on Sunday, September 12.

In addition to performing and serving as a nominee, Bieber also helped out with promotion of the show that helped him gain his national footing (he gave a shout-out to a contest winner and also presented an award at last year's show). Hence the video below, which translates Bieber's rise to success (from singing on the Internet to gracing the VMA stage) in the context of Beetlemania. Check out his escape from a horde of screaming teen girls — something the 16-year-old Canadian superstar has gotten used to in the past 365 days.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

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The 2010 VMA Countdown: Andrew Dice Clay Earns Himself A Lifetime Ban

Posted 8/18/10 4:30 pm EST by in VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are only a few weeks away. The biggest party of the year features nominated clips by Lady Gaga, Eminem, Jay-Z, Ke$ha and Katy Perry and will feature performances by Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, B.o.B and Florence and the Machine (with many more to be announced). In order to properly prepare yourself for what's to come, every day the MTV Newsroom Blog will deliver a classic moment in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards. Today's installment: Andrew Dice Clay pushes the Moonman too far.

In the history of the MTV Video Music Awards, there have been plenty of controversial moments that have given the censors pause. There was Howard Stern's buttocks-bearing appearance as Fartman at the 1992 show, Marilyn Manson's revealing girdle at the close of the 1997 installment and Madonna's eyebrow-raising performance of "Like a Virgin" at the very first VMAs in 1984. But there has only been one performance that ultimately pushed the boundaries of good taste and earned the artist a lifetime ban. That distinction belongs to comedian Andrew "Dice" Clay, whose stand-up proved to be too blue for Mr. Moonman.

The 1989 show was a fun, loose show that took place in Los Angeles and was hosted by Arsenio Hall. In many ways, it was a strange year, as Neil Young took home the prize for Video of the Year (for "This Note's For You," probably the least well-known of any winner of the top prize in VMA history) and the performances were a mixture of loud rock (Def Leppard, the Cult), funky pop (Bobby Brown, Paula Abdul) and esoteric stuff like the Cure and the odd tag-team between Tom Petty and Axl Rose. There was also a strange appearance by "Weird Al" Yankovic. But the thing that everybody remembers is the brief stand-up set by Andrew "Dice" Clay, who showed up in one of his trademark loud leather suits and rolled through some of his naughty nursery rhymes (which by today's standards seem rather tame). That was apparently too much for the powers that be, which lead to Clay's lifetime ban from the network. In fact, the concept of stand-up on the VMAs (previously a regular thing) was tabled until Dane Cook broke the streak at the 2005 show.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

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Coldplay, Gorillaz, The Black Keys And Dan Black Try To Make A VMA Breakthrough: Better Know A Category

Posted 8/18/10 1:30 pm EST by in VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are fast approaching, which means that in only a few weeks you'll be treated to an excellent night of performances and appearances by the likes of Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence and the Machine, B.o.B and Deadmau5 (who will serve as the house DJ at the show). While people tend to remember the classic performances and the unhinged moments, the coveted Moonman is the reason why people show up and tune in. This year, there are 16 categories wherein some of the biggest music stars in the universe will compete for the coolest trophy in awards shows. Today, we take a look at the nominees in the Breakthrough Video category.

The Breakthrough Video category is one of the more special awards given out throughout the night, as it usually gives a nod either to an artist who has been under-loved but doing amazing things or a particular director who is pushing the visual envelope. Past winners include Matt and Kim (for their naked-in-public batch of jubilation "Lessons Learned" in 2009), the White Stripes (for the Michel Gondry-kissed Lego wonderland clip "Fell in Love With a Girl" in 2002), the Prodigy (for their kinetic first-person nightmare "Smack My B---- Up" in 1998), Weezer (for their 1995 Spike Jonze-directed "Happy Days" throwback clip "Buddy Holly") and R.E.M. (a two-time winner for "Losing My Religion" in 1991 and "Everybody Hurts" in 1994).

This year's batch of Breakthrough Video nominees includes two former winners in Coldplay (who are nominated for their trippy "Strawberry Swing" and who won for the stunning "The Scientist" in 2003) and Gorillaz (whose visual sensibilities are on full display in "Stylo," just as they were when they won for "Feel Good Inc." in 2005). Joining them are two VMA newcomers in the Black Keys ("Tighten Up") and Dan Black ("Symphonies"). While each of the nominees has the visual flair necessary to make an impression as a Breakthrough Video, it was the Black Keys' clip that made the biggest impression (it seemed like that thing went viral immediately). Low-fi clips have won in the past (like Fatboy Slim's "Praise You"), and this seems like one of those years where a little elbow grease triumphs over big effect-based spectacles (in this category, anyway).

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

Who do you think should win the VMA for Breakthrough Video? Let us know in the comments!

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The 2010 MTV VMA Countdown: Avenged Sevenfold Scare The Children

Posted 8/17/10 4:30 pm EST by in VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards less than a month away. The biggest party of the year features nominated clips by Lady Gaga, Drake, Eminem, Jay-Z, Ke$ha and Katy Perry and will feature performances by Kanye West, Drake and Florence and the Machine (with many more to be announced). In order to properly prepare yourself for what's to come, every day the MTV Newsroom Blog will deliver a classic moment in the history of the MTV Video Music Awards. Today's installment: Avenged Sevenfold touch a whole new generation.

The 2006 Video Music Awards saw the show return to New York City's Radio City Music Hall after two years at the American Airlines Arena in sunny Miami, Florida. The return to the first home for the VMAs didn't mean that the show was any more traditional, however. My Chemical Romance debuted their new single on top of Rockefeller Center, stars like Fergie and the Pussycat Dolls dominated the unusual fashion of the time and outside underdogs Panic! at the Disco took home the prize for Video of the Year for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" in a relatively stunning upset. But the greatest moment of the night came when the men of Avenged Sevenfold took the stage to accept the prize for Best New Artist.

The presenters of the award — a competition between A7X, James Blunt, Angels & Airwaves, Chris Brown, Rihanna and Panic! at the Disco — were the aforementioned Fergie and then-10-year-old actress Abigail Breslin, who had charmed the pants off of audiences who saw her in that summer's surprise hit "Little Miss Sunshine." When Avenged won in a minor upset, they hit the stage in their traditional way: Tattooed, sleeveless and larger than life. Since she probably wasn't used to a bunch of muscular black-clad metal dudes hanging around her, Breslin looked absolutely petrified as they collected their Moonman and delivered their acceptance speech. It was a great moment for the band, and the juxtaposition of them and Breslin made for great TV.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

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Lady Gaga, Eminem, Green Day Compete For VMA Special Effects Dominance: Better Know A Category

Posted 8/17/10 1:30 pm EST by in VMAs

The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards are fast approaching, which means that in only a few weeks you'll be treated to an excellent night of performances and appearances by the likes of Kanye West, Drake, Florence and the Machine and Deadmau5 (who will serve as the house DJ at the show). While people tend to remember the classic performances and the unhinged moments, the coveted Moonman is the reason why people show up and tune in. This year, there are 16 categories wherein some of the biggest music stars in the universe will compete for the coolest trophy in awards shows. Today, we take a look at the nominees in the Best Special Effects category.

Though it's a technical category, some of the biggest and most iconic videos in history have scored victories for Best Special Effects. They include eye-poppers like a-ha's "Take On Me" (1986), Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" (1987), Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight Tonight" (1996), Outkast's "Hey Ya!" (2004) and Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" (2009). The latter will compete for the prize once again in this category, this time for her intense "Bad Romance." Her competition this year is incredibly stiff, featuring VMA veterans Eminem (whose "Not Afraid" features him in flight) and Green Day (who channeled "Take On Me" in "21st Century Breakdown"). It also features Muse (whose "Uprising" is the token rock epic involved) and newcomer Dan Black (whose "Symphonies" is a trippy stream-of-consciousness jump between some classic film tropes).

The effects in each category are all amazing, and this may be one of the most balanced competitions in the entire evening. While Black's entry is impressive and you can never overlook Eminem, it seems like Gaga has the upper hand when it comes to everything that goes on in "Bad Romance."

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET.

Who do you think should win Best Special Effects in a Video? Let us know in the comments!

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Five Fact5 For Deadmau5 Newbie5 At The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards

Posted 8/16/10 6:00 pm EST by in VMAs

By Adam Stewart

Three years ago, you were more likely to hear Deadmau5 identified as "Dead-Mau-Five" rather than the correct (and phonetically clever) "Dead Mouse." But in that brief period of time, he has moved from obscure underground grinder to universal favorite whose distinct sound has shot him to the upper echelon of the Billboard Dance Chart. His rise continues with the news that he will be the house DJ at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.

Though house music continues to slowly chip away at the mainstream, many people are probably unfamiliar with the styles and history of Deadmau5. That's why we've put together this series of essential "fact5" that every Mau5keteer must know.

Vital Statistics
Birth Name: Joel Zimmerman
DOB: 1/5/1981
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Sound
Deadmau5 combines elements from various house subgenres and spins them into a unique style style that is hard to precisely peg. There are bits of trance, strange electro experiments and forays into organic instrumentation — or at least his version of organic. "Lord knows there's enough sample libraries out there to get a clap sound," he told MTV News at the 2010 Winter Music Conference. "But it's kind of like putting a little bit of love into it when you're use an SM57 [microphone] and slap your ass and record it and then put that in the track."

Behind the Name
"Long story short, a mouse went in my computer and died," he explained to MTV News. Read More...

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